


Styx's Kiss

by mingguktea



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I'M SOFT FOR THEM OK, Kinda?, M/M, Soft spoilers?, Spoilers, a loooooot of blood (zag u good there mate?), funny cuz I haven't FINISHED IT MYSELF YET, i guess?, only a litte bit of Angst (barely there), soft, they're softies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:26:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26812867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mingguktea/pseuds/mingguktea
Summary: “I don’t want you to leave.” Thanatos said this time. Clearer.“I don’t want you to leave, not when… not when this between us…” Thanatos stopped talking.Zagreus hasn’t been far off the bat then. Thanatos had said it several times, that he didn’t want Zagreus to leave. But not like this…
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 238





	Styx's Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, hello.  
> This is my first story I'll publish here on AO3. A small innocent oneshot. :)  
> It's my first one completely in English whatsoever (I hope you can't tell that I'm not a native).  
> And I haven't finished the game yet (I had probably only 3 encounters with Than lolololol) but I just HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE TWO IDIOTS. Than pls take all my nectar, ambrosia and first born if you'd like, I love you.  
> They can be a little bit OC idk, but not too much, I guess?  
> I wrote this in one setting btw. I pulled an allnighter and feel like the death itself (haha, pun).  
> Ah, well. Yes.  
> Enjoy my sweet little oneshot.

**Styx’s kiss**

Blood dripped from every wound and decorated the lush green grass of Elysium. Thick and glistening a dark red in the sparkling light. Heavy breathing broke the almost peaceful quietness. Quiet whispers from the shades could be heard. Passing by. Looking with innocent curiosity. As much as shades could look that is. The distant cheering of more, sitting in that big arena of Elysium. Bearing its two champions, waiting for their component to arrive once again.

  
A fresh breeze tickled Zagreus face when he almost collapsed to the ground.

  
He huffed, catching his balance, gripping helplessly at one pillar that slowly rebuilt itself in its wake. His vision was blurred and he didn’t know if he should throw up or lose consciousness first. The pain and pulsing of his wounds were really bad this time.

  
He slowly sat down instead. Resting his back against the pillar and sighed deeply. He could feel every strained muscle in his body. Every cut and broken bone. Bloody nose, bloody lips, hell he was even coughing up blood.

He was acting reckless. He didn’t scan his surroundings enough and then it happened. Got almost sent back into the river Styx if it wasn’t for his defiance of death. He had already sensed the metallic smell of Styx. As if it was already reaching out for him, ready to engulf him in its thick substance like a firm grip, bringing him home.

  
Zagreus knew that he couldn’t cheat death another time. And he also knew that the next chamber, awaiting him with utmost joy, will be his way back home.

He hadn’t seen it coming. The arrow which pierced his chest and left him losing such a big amount of blood that he was surprised he didn’t perish at that exact moment. Well, it did feel like he perished. Or a part of his soul did.

  
Did he even have a soul…?

  
“Another question for another day... or night… or whatever it is.” Zagreus said to himself and reached into his chiton pulling out the blood-filled vial he got from Lord Ares. Zagreus held the vial against the light and saw something he didn’t notice at first, when he got it. The blood looked like it was… boiling? As if it was thirsting for more blood.

  
_How fitting_ Zagreus thought bitterly and put the vial into his lap instead.

Somewhere in between the fighting, he lost track of where he was and what he was doing. The only thing present was this hot urge to press on further and slay everything in his way until it vanished in front of Zagreus eyes. It has almost been like Zagreus has been possessed of some sorts. Lord Ares blessings had taken over him, thirsting for blood and death. Overpowering the blessings of other gods and goddesses he already held at that time. The vial had probably only made it worse.

  
Slowly his thoughts drifted away to that one encounter he had with the god of war.

  
_» Perhaps you know a god called Thanatos? The two of us are very close associates, you know. Do give him my best wishes, should you see him soon. «_

  
Zagreus didn’t really think about the words at that time if he was being honest with himself. Until now. All these wars upon the surface, all those deaths. Thanatos must’ve more than a handful of work, when Ares is rumbling and bustling around on the surface.

  
Thanatos…

  
Such a hardworking god and yet not worth it being mentioned by the Olympian gods. Other than Ares or Hermes.

  
No wonder Thanatos was barely seen by any of them. Humans won’t stop dying just like that. And someone has to take care of their souls reaching its destiny.

  
The underworld.

  
Even Thanatos brother Hypnos suffered due his absence and Hypnos slept most of the time.

  
It made Zagreus think of his own mistakes and flaws. Thanatos had every right to be mad at Zagreus. He didn’t really want to see it when Thanatos said it to his face… the part with running away from himself… that he didn’t show gratitude to Nyx who basically raised him, looking for his real mother instead… he didn’t even say goodbye before leaving… he still felt bad for doing that to Thanatos. The hurt that had washed over death incarnates face has been almost unbearable to look at.

  
Zagreus was pulling at his own hair as he thought of it. It already felt like decades since these incidents. They’ve gotten kind of better these days… weeks… uh… months?

  
“Ugh.”

  
Anyway… they’ve gotten better. In their own way (and let’s not address the sheer amounts of nectar Zagreus gifted to Thanatos as if he tried to appease death).

  
Still, every time Thanatos and Zagreus saw each other there was this dull, almost invisible look in Thanatos eyes, when he thought Zagreus wouldn’t notice it. It would always happen in between their petty little discussions. This sad almost longing kind of look. Zagreus knew that Thanatos didn’t want him to leave. And yet he did nothing else but support and help him. Maybe… maybe he didn’t have the strength or will to stop Zagreus… no that wasn’t it. Maybe it was something more like… respect?

  
Respect between all this sadness? Understanding maybe? Ugh. Zagreus would have to ask Thanatos himself and stop fantasizing about deaths motive to help him escape the underworld.

  
Green light suddenly washed over Zagreus and everything else. A gong rang out and echoed all around the empty room.

  
_Speaking of the devil_ Zagreus thought and couldn’t suppress a vast smile.

  
The green light vanished just like the echoing of the gong stopped and everything was quiet again. Zagreus let his head hang forward. Didn’t bother to look up. Blood dripped down over his nose. Zagreus frowned at the unsettling feeling of it. Closing his eyes.

  
There was no more noise than the rustling of soft fabric, clinking of jewelry and armor.

  
“You’ve got a bit of blood on yourself, Zag.”

  
Zagreus snorted. _The audacity_ he thought.

  
“Oh yeah, now that you mention it. Didn’t even notice it. Thanks, Than.”

  
“No need to thank me.”

  
Zagreus snorted again. Leaning his head back against the pillar and slowly opening his eyes again. They felt heavy and droopy.  
Thanatos was a sight to behold, as always. Ashen skin, snow white hair, golden eyes. The sheer power surrounding him, while floating a few centimeters over the ground making Zagreus feel even smaller than he already was compared to Thanatos. Scythe in one hand, the other hand propped against his hip, lightly gripping the dark fabric of his chiton. Zagreus always thought that Thanatos chiton and coat had a light sparkle to them. Reminding him of Nyx’s shawl which looked like the night sky, full of stars. Or what he imagined the sky to look like on the surface, thanks to Nyx’s detailed description of it.

To say that Zagreus looked completely demolished was an understatement. Thanatos could hear his shallow breath, sometimes interrupted by coughing up blood. You could think he bathed in Styx before running into the battle. Or after the battle. It didn’t really matter. If the blood on the ground indicated anything, Thanatos guessed that Zagreus collapsed several times before resting against the pillar. Thanatos was surprised as he was concerned for his prince. No fight has ever gotten to him this bad.

Zagreus’s staring wasn’t subtle so Thanatos looked him in the eye and stared back. Zagreus face suddenly broke out into a crooked smile. Teeth pink from blood and saliva.

  
“What’s there to smile about?” Thanatos asked in that unbothered voice of his.

  
Zagreus continued to smile even as he answered. “I’m happy.”

  
Silence.

  
“I’m happy to see you… that you’re here… I’m glad.” Zagreus finished. Smile ever so present and overwhelming.

  
Thanatos was glad as well. That he’d catch Zagreus before he died once again, becoming one with Styx, going home.

  
Thanatos feet touched the ground at that. Feeling the lush and soft grass of Elysium under the pads of his feet was still foreign to Thanatos. Foreign but not unwelcome. How must it feel for Zagreus? Could his flaming feet even feel the softness and coolness of the green grass?

  
It didn’t matter.

  
Death incarnate slowly approached the prince.

  
“How did this even happen?” Thanatos asked.

  
Zagreus looked bashful all of a sudden. “I know that you told me that the Olympians don’t just give me their strength out of gratitude… I kind of figured that they’re having their fun with this too…” Zagreus grabbed something, that was laying in his lap and stretched his arm out. Thanatos put his Scythe on the floor, next to Zagreus and then grabbed his hand.

  
The contact made a shiver run up on Thanatos back.

  
Flourishing flames kissed the deathly coldness.

  
“Tch, of course…” Thanatos huffed as he inspected the blood-filled vial. “I lost track of what was happening.” Zagreus began and Thanatos looked back to him. “And then I had an arrow pierced through my chest and collapsed, after eliminating the archer.”

  
“I figured as much.” Thanatos concluded as he put the vial inside his chiton.

There was a short silence in which none of them spoke. Thanatos was deep in his thoughts and Zagreus basked in the uncomfortable pulsing of his wounds and overall hurting body, closing his eyes once again. Even if Thanatos gave him one centaur heart, it would do not much. It would bring a short-lived effect of relief but that’s that.

  
Zagreus sighed. Making a quiet wheezing noise. “I should just get over with it and get myself killed in the next ch-“ Zagreus swallowed the rest of his sentence as he felt cold fingers carding through his blood-soaked hair, lightly massaging his burning scalp.

  
Zagreus lightly pushed his head against the nice feeling of cold fingers on his hot skin. It’s just now that he realized that he was burning up. Even more than normally, he may say.

  
“I’m also glad to be here.” Thanatos suddenly said. It made Zagreus chuckle.

  
“If your plan was to catch me before I die to give me a nice massage, I’m not objecting, you know.” Zagreus hummed. “Shut up, before I change my mind to help you.” Thanatos scolded, with no real bite in it.

  
Zagreus smiles and opened his eyes. Unmatched eyes finding golden ones. Thanatos kept his hand in Zagreus hair-

  
Zagreus blinked. There it was. That look. Dull. Sad and longing looking.

  
“Than…” Zagreus started and lifted up his bruised hands. Thanatos didn’t stop him nor did his hand, scratching Zagreus scalp.

  
The prince’s fingers lightly brushed the silky strands of death incarnates white hair and pushed off his hood. “Why is it that every time you look at me, that this sad and longing look overtakes your beautiful features?” Zagreus asked and tucked one lonely strand of hair behind Thanatos’s ear, brushing over one of his eyebrows as well to smooth out the furrow which occurred after Zagreus words.

  
Zagreus kept his hands at Thanatos’s face, brushing both of his thumbs over his eyebrows as if he was trying to brush out whatever nagged at Thanatos’s thoughts.

  
Silence. Death incarnate stopped carding his fingers through the prince’s hair an closed his eyes.

  
Thanatos sighed deeply. Opening his eyes.

  
“I’m selfish.” Thanatos said.

  
“What?”

  
“I don’t want you to leave.” Thanatos said this time. Clearer. “I don’t want you to leave, not when… not when this between us…” Thanatos stopped talking.

  
Zagreus hasn’t been far off the bat then. Thanatos had said it several times, that he didn’t want Zagreus to leave. But not like this…

  
“When you leave the underworld for the Olympus, there’s no way for me to see you. The Olympians aren’t comfortable with me being around them. Who would like the company of death anyway? I’m not one of them. You on the other hand…” Thanatos broke of his sentence once again.

  
“Than…”

  
“Than look at me.”

  
Death incarnate did.

  
“Once I reach the Olympus, once I have found my mother, do you really think there will be no way of us… you know…”

  
Thanatos chuckled darkly, as if Zagreus had told him a funny joke just now. “The Olympians don’t always play nice. They can be dangerous and evil too. Poseidon isn’t just that fun uncle of yours. His seas drowned thousands of souls. His earthquakes buried so many cities in their rage.” Thanatos smiled bitterly.

  
Zagreus retorted that dark chuckle of Thanatos. “Two can play this game. Once I reach the Olympus, I have a voice too. There’s no way that you’ll get rid of me again. I won’t leave again, just like that.”

  
There was a long pause in which death incarnate and the prince just looked at each other. Taking in each other’s beauty. Hot and cold clinging to each other. Summer and winter.

  
“Good.” Thanatos said. This dull look in his eyes slowly subdued. Not completely, but I was a good sign. Thanatos trusted him.

  
He always did. Always will.

  
Zagreus could muster up another of his blinding smiles until he broke down into several coughing fits. Blood. So much blood. Zagreus hands dropped to his sides, still coughing.

  
Suddenly the two hands of Thanatos gently grabbed Zagreus face and made him look at him. Thanatos hands were a blessing for Zagreus soaring skin. Before he could say anything, death incarnate leaned in and pressed his lips against the prince’s and catched him off guard. Not caring about the blood decorating his lips. Gently moving, making the prince kiss him back and lightly cup death incarnates face. With a light bite on Zagreus bottom lip, Thanatos made him open his lips and Zagreus, almost instantly, sighed in relief.

  
It was like he was coming home. But… different. The soaring, burning heat slowly lifted itself from Zagreus body. The pulsing and burning of his wounds began to cool down to a light tickling sensation.

  
Slowly, Thanatos detached himself from Zagreus and leaned their foreheads against each other. Both were breathing more heavily.  
“What the fuck was that?” Zagreus asked utterly confused.

  
Thanatos chuckled before he answered.

  
**“Styx’s kiss.”**

  
Zagreus looked him in the eyes. The prince’s cheeks and tips of his ears were slightly tinted in the most beautiful pink Thanatos has ever seen. He probably didn’t look any different but he didn’t care at the moment.

  
“I- wow…” Zagreus blabbered.

  
“How do you feel?”

  
“Amazing. No, more than that.”

  
Thanatos raised his eyebrows at that. Leaning away and looking at him questioningly. Zagreus blush only deepened at that.

  
“Look at your body, Zag.”

  
“Not so fast big guy.” Zagreus retorted which had Thanatos roll his eyes.

  
Once Zagreus eyes looked at his own body, he gasped. No wounds to be found. No blood, nothing. Thanatos slowly raised from his seat on the ground and held out a hand to Zagreus to help him stand. The prince looked at Thanatos in wonder.

  
Death incarnation retrieved his Scythe from the ground and started floating again. Hovering over Zagreus. Pulling the hood over his hair.

  
“Now go and use that new energy of yours to kick Theseus’s and Asterius’s asses.” Thanatos chuckled and gave Zagreus a light push in the direction of the next chamber.

  
Zagreus tried to say something but Thanatos beat him to it. “And if you die, somewhere in the temple of Styx or by the hand of your father, who knows… maybe I’ll already be waiting for you at home and I can show you more.” Thanatos winked.

  
Death incarnate winked.

  
Thanatos winked at Zagreus.

  
He fucking winked at him, what the fuck, Than.

  
Before Zagreus could open his mouth to give a sassy retort, Thanatos vanishes in a cloud of green mist and Zagreus was alone.

  
Cheeks and heart aflame with adoration and embarrassment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, bun.  
> Leave some critique or praise cuz that's what keeps authors alive!  
> 💜


End file.
